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Not sure when this thaw is coming, soon I hope. It's fargin cold, no two ways about that. Last week we had two days below zero--the lowest was -14 here in Portland. Now my old limit was -15--on days this cold, I would try to start up the car and drive in, but I think that limit is too tame. Granted, there was no wind last week so eventhough it was cold, it was tolerable with the right clothes. I actually overdressed on the -14 day. I wore a poly filled down jacket and I was soaked by the time I got to work. Another must on really cold days is a balaclava. On this day it was frozen solid by the time I got to work only a half hour later. I also had on two pairs of tights--some nice Craft windstopper bibs and my Bellweather windfront tights--a bit much, but I surely wasn't cold. Anyhoo- I think I can up the ante on my cold day limit, minus twent is is the new limit (with light winds). In other weather news, snow, snow, snow. There was one day that we got a lot more than was predicted, which made for a sloppy ride home. On days like that, I try to stay off the main roads and take side streets and bike paths when possible. I don't want to be the a-hole that everyone yells at (might be too late, hahahah) becasue he's taking up the only strip of clear pavement on the main drag. So even if I have to push the bike through a section of snow covered woods or sidewalk, I would rather get home safely without incident than get bumped by a car. Speaking of which, yesterday was nearly one of those days. Although it hasn't snowed in a week or so, the crappy snow removal in Portland has led to even less of a shoulder to ride on this year. I had to take a different route becasue of a stalled train which left me to ride futher South to cross the tracks. The shoulder on this MAIN road was still covered in sloppy coffee coolatta colored snow so my wheels where all covered by the time I got to the awkward RR crossing. The tracks run at a strange angle to the road--not perpendicular which is my preferred for bike crossing. I think you know what happened here--biker down! Well, sorta. The bike wend down and I was able to leap the handlebars and stay on my feet. My bike was nearly smooshed but the woman behind me was able to stop before running it over. I think the two lanes of traffic let out a collective "dipsh*#t." I just walked back, picked up my bike and collected myself in a RiteAid parking lot. I would continue to be a little shaken up for most of the morning. It was a close call that I don't need to have happen again. More on some new gear soon--a tribute to a bike bag, the return of my headlight and an awesome new bike on order! Anyone looking for a good deal on a Redline 925?
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